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← Back to Sleep Health homeThe O2 SleepWell Laboratory, leveraging its resources at Cura Day Surgery and its capability for remote service, offers a specialized assessment known as a Split-Night Polysomnography (Split-Night Study). This single overnight procedure efficiently combines diagnosis and the initial phase of treatment for breathing disorders using the versatile Nox A1s recording device and the sophisticated Löwenstein prismaLAB device. This professional setup is managed by a sleep technologist and can be arranged in the laboratory or through a visit to your preferred location, such as your home, a hospital, or a hotel.
A split-night study is a strategy adopted by sleep specialists to expedite diagnosis and treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Instead of requiring two separate nights—one for diagnosis and a second for determining treatment pressure—this study integrates both phases into one night.
The study is divided into two parts: the first part is a diagnostic assessment where your sleep is monitored normally. If a significant breathing disorder is confirmed early on, the second part of the night is used to initiate Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy using a titration device like the prismaLAB.
A standard diagnostic sleep study, or Polysomnography (PSG), involves monitoring your sleep for the entire night to identify any sleep disorders. It stops after the diagnosis is made. A split-night study begins as a diagnostic PSG but, if the diagnosis of OSA is severe and confirmed early, it transitions into a treatment assessment (CPAP titration) in the same night. A single-night study covering both diagnosis and treatment is considered an alternative strategy to the "gold standard" of a full diagnostic study followed by a subsequent night of titration.
The initial phase of the study tests for the presence and severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). If clear criteria are met, the second phase of the study tests for the optimal pressure setting for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy needed to eliminate breathing pauses, effort-related arousals, and snoring.
The prismaLAB device is equipped with all modes and functions of advanced therapy devices, ranging from CPAP to innovative AcSV (Anticyclic Servoventilation).
A trained sleep technologist connects the Nox A1s recorder, which captures detailed data on brain waves, muscle activity, breathing effort, and oxygen levels. For the first part of the night (at least two hours of diagnostic sleep), data is collected without intervention. If the diagnosis meets severity criteria (e.g., AHI of 40 events per hour or more), the technologist introduces the Löwenstein prismaLAB device and fits a mask. The technologist then remotely adjusts the air pressure delivered by the prismaLAB to find a pressure level that controls your breathing events, aiming to find the effective treatment setting. The prismaLAB is designed to provide up to eight clearly distinguished analog signals for feeding data into the PSG system, ensuring comprehensive monitoring of the therapy process.
The split-night study is an alternative mode of testing for patients with severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Patients with a high pretest probability for OSA are more likely to receive an accurate diagnosis and titration. It is also feasible for patients who are unable or unwilling to return for a second overnight study.
The comprehensive data collected by the Nox A1s and the therapy data streamed from the prismaLAB provide the doctor with two key pieces of information in one night. The diagnostic data confirms the presence and severity of the disorder, and the titration data determines the optimal, fixed pressure for CPAP or BiPAP therapy. The goal is to select a pressure that reflects control of obstructive respiration, preferably to a low respiratory disturbance index (RDI) (e.g., <5 per hour). The prismaLAB device ensures high-resolution therapy data is recorded for analysis. This combined approach significantly reduces the median time from patient referral to the initiation of CPAP treatment.
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